First Light | Steve Rogers (Book Two)

Chapter Fifteen: One Last Mission

A/n:  The following chapters are going to be major spoilers for season 4 of Agents of SHIELD. You heard me, I'm doing a crossover

I double-checked the buckle on my holster and tightened my ponytail, trying to ignore the cold water that was splashing into my face. Steve and I had spent hours searching the internet and local cafés for gossip, finally finding a good lead for our last mission. Once we rented a boat, we headed out until we reached the open sea.

There had been some strange sightings around an abandoned oil rig in the middle of the Baltic, helicopters flying extremely close, signs of activity. It wasn't much to go on, but I was desperate for some action.

I loved living a 'normal' life, I loved the freedom. But I had spent ten years of constant fighting, risking my life to save countless others. It only took me a few months to long for another taste of the danger, for the exhilarating feeling of adrenaline rushing through my veins. I knew that I couldn't tell Steve that, he would have just overreacted.

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The oil rig appeared on the horizon after at least a day of sailing, gradually growing taller and taller until it towered over us, a mountain of rusted metal and damp concrete.

We moored the boat, beginning to climb up the ladder leading up to the top. I was a little tired once we reached the top, but I wasn't prepared to give up so easily.

The corridors were cold and dimly lit, each lamp seeming to flicker as we passed by. A steady dripping could only just be heard over the gale outside.

The sound of footsteps made my heart stop. We span around, staring the two figures down as we waited for them to make a move. 

The first figure was a young woman. She was dressed in a smart, silver dress, her brown hair falling down to her shoulders in perfectly styled waves. The second figure was a man. He was tall and burly, a cold, cruel stare fixed in his eyes.

"Who are you?" I called, my finger still on the trigger of my blaster. The woman silently stepped aside, watching as the man raced towards us.

I ducked under his arm as he swung at me, aiming a swift kick to his back to knock him over. "I'll deal with her" I called over to Steve, running down the narrow corridor as the two men began to fight.

My blaster was steadily aimed right at the woman's face, "I won't ask again. Who are you?"

She smiled sweetly, "I'm Aida. Pleased to meet you"

The woman suddenly lashed out with surprising speed, smacking the blaster to the floor and sending it skidding away from me. I growled angrily, aiming a punch at her. She quickly caught my fist, then the other.

I kicked against her, struggling to free myself from her vice-like grip. She didn't even seem to feel my feet connecting with her shins. I stared at her in bewilderment, "What are you?"

I didn't give her time to answer, using the steadiness of her grip on my wrists to lift myself up slightly, wrapping my legs around her neck. Sitting up, I brought my elbow down on her head, desperately trying to knock her out.

There was a groan of pain from down the corridor and I glanced around, my eyes going wide when I saw that Steve was lying on the floor, his body completely limp.

The woman took advantage of my shocked state, unwrapping my ankles from around her and throwing me down to the floor. The air was knocked out of me when I hit the ground and I lay there for a moment in a dazed state.

My head was slammed against the floor once more and everything went dark.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, gradually becoming more and more aware of my surroundings. The woman had flung me over her shoulder and was carrying me down the corridor. We entered a room and my eyes widened in shock.

Several stretcher-like frames were vertically attached to the wall, each holding a person. I recognised a couple of them: Jeffrey Mace, Fitz, Agent May and... Agent Coulson.

I was lifted up and placed on one of the stands. My arms weakly pushed against the woman as she began to attach wires to my head, but I could barely stay awake. I turned my head slightly to see Steve in the frame next to mine.

My hand held onto his as my eyelids began to droop. It finally dropped to my side and darkness consumed me. I opened my mouth, using the last of my energy to whisper the last thing on my mind.

"Steve..."